Adjustable eyeglasses retainer

Abstract

The present invention is an eyeglass frame arrangement fabricated of a combination of a generally rigid, strong, non-elastic lens support, nose bridge, eye socket engager and temple bows. The arrangement is also equipped with a generally non-elastic restraining strap removably engaged around the back of the head. The arrangement is adapted for use while engaging in activities which involve the possibility of physical forces, and/or usages around bodies of water. The arrangement, when secured, applies only an insignificant amount of pressure to the user's head. The arrangement is such that water easily drains out of the bottom of the arrangement.

I claim:  
     
       1. An elongated unitary retaining strap for holding eyeglasses on a wearer's head including a locking loop at one end of said strap for engaging said strap with a temple bow of an eyeglasses frame, and in which said strap is configured to permit all of said strap except said locking loop to pass through an opening in the temple bow such that said locking loop prevents said strap from passing completely through the opening, and in which said strap is fabricated to be generally non-elastic, in which said strap includes hook-and-pile fastening material to permit ready adjustment and sizing of said strap to the wearer's head. 
     
     
       2. The strap of  claim 1 , including non-slipping engagement means for engaging temple bows on the eyeglasses. 
     
     
       3. The strap of  claim 1  or  claim 2 , in which an opposite end of said strap is configured to pass through an opening in a second temple bow of an eyeglasses frame and to then be folded back upon itself to engage said hook-and-pile fastening material. 
     
     
       4. The strap of  claim 1 , including attachment means for attaching said retaining strap to the eyeglasses. 
     
     
       5. An eye-glass frame arrangement for holding a lens in front of each eye of the user comprising, in combination: 
       one or more lens supports fabricated of a generally rigid, substantially non-deformable, non-elastic material, said one or more lens supports being adapted to hold said lens or lenses;  
       a generally rigid, substantially non-deformable nose bridge mounted to said lens support so that said lens is in front of each eye of the user under the condition of the nose bridge being mounted on the nose of the user;  
       a plurality of temple bows fabricated of a non-elastic material, mounted on said lens support in a position engageable with the user ears;  
       a non-elastic retaining strap arrangement mountable securely to the ends of the temple bows whereby the user may tighten said restraining strap to restrict movement of the arrangement by an interference fit between the nose and forehead on the front of the wearer's head and between the ears and protruding rear and side of the skull on the side and back of the wearer's head;  
       said lens supports have one or more holes to provide ventilation and drainage between said frame and the wear's face.  
     
     
       6. An eye-glass frame arrangement for holding a lens in front of each eye of the user comprising, in combination: 
       one or more lens supports fabricated of a generally rigid, substantially non-deformable, non-elastic material, said one or more lens supports being adapted to hold said lens or lenses;  
       a generally rigid, substantially non-deformable nose bridge mounted to said lens support so that said lens is in front of each eye of the user under the condition of the nose bridge being mounted on the nose of the user;  
       a plurality of temple bows fabricated of a non-elastic material, mounted on said lens support in a position engageable with the user ears;  
       a non-elastic retaining strap arrangement mountable securely to the ends of the temple bows whereby the user may tighten said restraining strap to restrict movement of the arrangement by an interference fit between the nose and forehead on the front of the wearer's head and between the ears and protruding rear and side of the skull on the side and back of the wearer's head;  
       an eye socket engager mounted to said frame and extending inwards towards the wearer's face to engage the wearer's eye socket and thereby further restricting movement of said frame with respect to the wearer's face.  
     
     
       7. The eyeglass frame arrangement in  claim 6  wherein: said eye socket engager portion is generally vertically positioned so that it is close to the height of said nose bridge. 
     
     
       8. An eye-glass frame arrangement for holding a lens in front of each eye of the user comprising, in combination: 
       one or more lens supports fabricated of a generally rigid, substantially non-deformable, non-elastic material, said one or more lens supports being adapted to hold said lens or lenses;  
       a generally rigid, substantially non-deformable nose bridge mounted to said lens support so that said lens is in front of each eye of the user under the condition of the nose bridge being mounted on the nose of the user;  
       a plurality of temple bows fabricated of a non-elastic material, mounted on said lens support in a position engageable with the user ears;  
       a non-elastic retaining strap arrangement mountable securely to the ends of the temple bows whereby the user may tighten said restraining strap to restrict movement of the arrangement by an interference fit between the nose and forehead on the front of the wearer's head and between the ears and protruding rear and side of the skull on the side and back of the wearer's head, said retaining strap is made of hook-and-pile fastening material whereby the arrangement is readily adjustable to fit a range of head sizes.  
     
     
       9. An eyeglasses frame assembly, including a generally rigid, substantially non-deformable frame member for positioning one or more lenses in front of a wearer's eyes, said frame member attached to two ear pieces having rearwards ends positionable adjacent the wearer's ears, and a non-elastic retaining strap member attached to and extending between said rearward ends, in which said strap member permits ready adjustment and sizing of said assembly to the wearer's head; 
       said frame assembly is configured to engage the wearer's eye sockets and ears, and said strap member is configured to engage the normal rearward skull protrusion on the wearer's head to resist inadvertent dislodgement of said assembly from the wearer's head.  
     
     
       10. An adjustable eyeglasses apparatus to restrictively retain eyeglasses on a user's head, including a frame fabricated of a generally rigid, non-deformable, non-elastic material, said frame designed to hold a lens in front of each eye of the user with a nose bridge mounted upon the nose of the user; a plurality of temple bows fabricated of non-elastic material, said temple bows include remote portions that pass above the location on the user's head where his ears connect to his head; and a non-elastic retaining strap arrangement securely mounted to said remote portions of said temple bows, said strap being adjustable to achieve said restrictive retention of said frame on the user's head, whereby the frame and strap arrangement is restricted between the nose and forehead and/or eye socket of the user at the front of the user's head and constrained by the ears and contour of the occipital area of the skull when the retaining strap is properly adjusted and securely fastened; adjustability of said strap is provided by hook-and-pile fastening material on said strap. 
     
     
       11. An eye-glass frame arrangement for holding a lens in front of each eye of the user comprising, in combination: 
       one or more lens supports fabricated of a generally rigid, substantially non-deformable, non-elastic material, said one or more lens supports being adapted to hold said lens or lenses;  
       a generally rigid, substantially non-deformable nose bridge mounted to said lens support so that said lens is in front of each eye of the user under the condition of the nose bridge being mounted on the nose of the user;  
       a plurality of temple bows fabricated of a non-elastic material, mounted on said lens support in a position engageable with the user ears;  
       a non-elastic retaining strap arrangement mountable securely to the ends of the temple bows whereby the user may tighten said restraining strap to restrict movement of the arrangement by an interference fit between the nose and forehead on the front of the wearer's head and between the ears and protruding rear and side of the skull on the side and back of the wearer's head;  
       at least one engagement element formed on said frame arrangement, said engagement element generally disposed in front of the wearer's eyes sufficiently to form an interference fit with the wearer's eye socket on the wearer's skull when said frame arrangement is assembled on the wearer's head.  
     
     
       12. The eyeglass frame arrangement of  claim 11 , in which said secure mounting of said strap to said ends of said temple bows comprises a substantially non-deformable connection structure. 
     
     
       13. An eye-glass frame arrangement for holding a lens in front of each eye of the user comprising, in combination: 
       one or more lens supports fabricated of a generally rigid, non-elastic material, said one or more lens supports being adapted to hold said lens or lenses;  
       a nose bridge mounted to said lens support so that said lens is in front of each eye of the user under the condition of the nose bridge being mounted on the nose of the user;  
       a plurality of temple bows fabricated of a non-elastic material, mounted on said lens support in a position engageable with the user ears;  
       a non-elastic retaining strap arrangement mountable securely to the ends of the temple bows whereby the user may tighten said restraining strap to restrict movement of the arrangement by an interference fit between the nose and forehead on the front of the wearer's head and between the ears and protruding rear and side of the skull on the side and back of the wearer's head;  
       an eye socket engager mounted to said frame and extending inwards towards the wearer's face to engage the wearer's eye socket and thereby further restricting movement of said frame with respect to the wearer's face.  
     
     
       14. An eyeglasses frame assembly, including a generally rigid frame member for positioning one or more lenses in front of a wearer's eyes, said frame member attached to two ear pieces having rearwards ends positionable adjacent the wearer's ears, and a non-elastic retaining strap member attached to and extending between said rearward ends, in which said strap member permits ready adjustment and sizing of said assembly to the wearer's head; 
       said frame assembly is configured to engage the wearer's eye sockets and ears, and said strap member is configured to engage the normal rearward skull protrusion on the wearer's head to resist in advertent dislodgement of said assembly from the wearer's head.  
     
     
       15. An eye-glass frame arrangement for holding a lens in front of each eye of the user comprising, in combination: 
       one or more lens supports fabricated of a generally rigid, non-elastic material, said one or more lens supports being adapted to hold said lens or lenses;  
       a nose bridge mounted to said lens support so that said lens is in front of each eye of the user under the condition of the nose bridge being mounted on the nose of the user;  
       a plurality of temple bows fabricated of a non-elastic material, mounted on said lens support in a position engageable with the user ears;  
       a non-elastic retaining strap arrangement mountable securely to the ends of the temple bows whereby the user may tighten said restraining strap to restrict movement of the arrangement by an interference fit between the nose and forehead on the front of the wearer's head and between the ears and protruding rear and side of the skull on the side and back of the wearer's head;  
       at least one engagement element formed on said frame, said engagement element generally disposed in front of the wearer's sufficiently to form an interference fit with the wearer's eye socket on the wearer's skull when said frame arrangement is assembled on the wearer's head.  
     
     
       16. The eye-glass frame arrangement, assembly and apparatus of any one of claims  5 - 15  where said frame arrangement, assembly and apparatus does not create a seal around the eyes.